A dog has come to the rescue of a young child who was “just seconds” away from drowning after being dragged out into the deepest part of a river in South Australia this week.
Max, a staffy-cross bulldog, swam out to the distressed child – who was unknown to him – wearing a special life jacket fitted with a handle.
Witnesses say the boy was able to grab the handle on the dog’s life jacket and be guided to safety at the river in Port Noarlung.
Max’s owner, Rob Osborn says he spotted the boy in distress from the riverbank.Â
“The tide was going in, and it was sucking the boy over to all of the big rocks, into a really deep part of the river,” he told 7 News. Â
A witness, Nevaeh Osborn said the boy was “bound to drown any second” if the pair hadn’t raised the alarm.Â
Mr Osborn says before he had a chance to jump in the water himself, he noticed his hero dog had already begun to swim out to the boy.Â
Mr Osborn encouraged the boy to call Max’s name and to grab the handle on the dog’s personal life jacket to swim to shore.
“He’s definitely a hero, he just doesn’t know it. He was just doing what he was told,” the proud owner said.Â
“Max deserves a medal he is such a hero. So gentle and so brave but viewed by the world as dangerous,” wrote one commentator online when the story made headlines.
